Van Helsing How it SHOULD Have Ended
by jmajere
Summary: Ahem How can I describe this little piece o' heaven? lol Actually, I've explained myself in a nice little author's note before the story begins. Otherwise the title says it all. Not a Anna's still alive story, either. READ ME AND FIND OUT!
1. The Ballroom

A/N: Let me begin by explaining myself. Always a good place to begin, wouldn't you say?

Why I chose to rewrite Van Helsing

By Jessie Majere

First off, let me say that Van Helsing was a damn good flick. Seragwen, my most beloved muse, and I quite enjoyed ourselves. However, the movie was decidedly lacking in "parts". And ladies, you all know what I mean by "parts". You know. Those great moments when they _almost _kiss. All that nice, tasty sexual tension. Great stuff, "parts". Quite lovely.

And the movie had such potential for "parts". I mean, Dracula was friggin hotter than a fat man at an all you can eat buffet.

So, after much detailed discussion with Seragwen, I have decided to undertake this monumentous fanfic.

To rewrite the ending of Van Helsing.

Now let me tell you - don't read this if my changing some stuff around is going to bother you. There will be no OC's rearing their ugly heads. Hopefully, heaven help us, there will be no slash.

What there will be is a healthy dosage of "parts" and a just a weeeee little bit of parody now and again. (I have an odd sense of humor, yes I know - please bear with me).

That being said:

Setting: We're picking this bad boy up right at the part where the Count and Anna are dancing like crazy in the ballroom.

hushed silence

XX

The garish ballroom filled with opulent dancers mingled with crazed, nightmarish visions from an opiate's dream. Waiters balanced precariously on cycles bearing trays of champagne from which no one drank. Contortionists writhed on elevated platforms, bending their bodies into impossible positions. Nothing in the room seemed real. A haze surrealistic stagnation hung heavy over the glittering crowd.

Don't you just live big adjectives?

The orchestra, barely heard above the din of the crowd, played a haunting melody. After a moment, the sound was joined by a skilled soprano. Their music combined, rising with inhuman clarity.

Anna blinked her eyes, desperatley trying to clear away the heavy blanket of confusion that clouded her mind. She was held in the arms of a stranger, dancing under his direction. There was no sense of time or place. No sense of how or why she was there. Her mind felt burdened with ennui - had she always been there dancing ?

Her partner watched from beneath the feathered mask he wore, his dark eyes glimmering in secret amusement. _Van Helsing??_ her mind whispered once before the thought was snatched away, crushed out of her mind.

Her partner removed his mask. She followed suit. His powerful arms pulled her close against his chest, pressing her tightly against him before lowering her into a deep dip. Anna offered no resistance when he covered her mouth with his own, claiming her lips in a searing kiss. Desire raced through her body. Closing her eyes, her grip tightened on the man's shoulders, clinging to him for strength. Blinking, she gazed into the eyes of her lover. The cloud slowly starting to lift from her mind, she found herself staring into the eyes of her mortal enemy.

"Dracula," she hissed. He still held her lowered into a dip. There was no way for her to even attempt to escape him.

The count lifted her back up with ease only to forcefully spin her away at arms length, his hand carefully gripping her wrist. His hand felt like a steel band around her skin. There was nothing human in his grip.

"How are you enjoying my little gathering, my dear?" His voice was low, yet she had no trouble hearing him over the music. It was almost as if his voice echoed inside of her mind.

Everything came back to her - the frantic race through the Carpathian mountains, Gabrial's wounding, the death of her poor brother . Their plan almost worked, but they had underestimated Dracula. In the end, Van Helsing had control of the monster while _he_ had Anna. Damn, how she _hated_ him!

He was watching her now, perhaps reading her mind as the memories came flooding back. An odd little look of amusement appeared in his eyes. He pulled her in closer, still guiding her through the intricate Barovian dance. All around them couples danced, surrounding them in a sea of ghastly masked faces. Anna had no choice but to dance with him. A child of five would have as much chance as she to escape Dracula's power. Anna's lips still burned from his stolen kiss. How _dare_ he touch her like this.

"I despise you," she grated in disdain. Effortlessly, he twirled her around so that her back was against his chest, arms encircling her body. His bare hands glided across her waist, up the bare skin of her arms and shoulders. Desire still coursed through her body, an after effect of his enchantment that fueled her temper. "You make my skin crawl," she spat.

Dracula lowered her head, lips inches away from the delicate skin of her neck. A strand of his dark hair tickled her shoulder. Anna could feel his powerful body pressed against her own. It would be so easy for him to kill her right now. So easy for him to do anything he wanted. Anything at all.

He dipped his head lower, inhaling her scent. Intoxicating. Even now, he could smell no sign of fear from her. How enchanting. Perhaps he would have to change that. "That's not all I could do with your skin," he whispered. His lips moved to lightly caress her neck, teasing her neck with a feather light kiss. Anna closed her eyes, unable to keep her body from responding to his touch. She hated herself for it, but couldn't keep from sighing.

Dracula twirled her roughly away, pulling her back in to stand face to face. The gloating look of triumph in his eyes made her want to scream. She supposed it was too much to ask for to hope that he hadn't heard her sigh.

"You can't win this," she spoke with more defiance than she felt. "Gabriel would never been foolish enough to trade the monster. He won't come for me."

His pale hand moved to her neck, caressing her exposed neck. The scarlet red ball gown Anna wore was as stunning as he knew it would be. He was glad her chose it. "I have no intentions of trading you, my dear. I find you much too amusing to let you go so easily. Besides, you know little about the hearts of men if you believe he will not come."

His grip on her neck tightened, guiding her face to his own. His lips hovered over her own. Again, Anna was stuck by the sheer power in the arms that encircled her body. There was no way to fight him. He stared into her eyes, ensnaring them with his own. She could feel his mind pressing into her own, probing her secret thoughts and dreams. Dracula quickly and easily stripped away the last of her defenses.

His eyes widened, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. Anna tried to turn her face away but his hand wouldn't allow it. "Look at me, Anna," he commanded softly.

Before she could stop herself, she obeyed. As soon as her eyes locked with his, an image projected in her mind. She was lying naked on a bed of satin, her hair spilling out around her in a sea of black curls. He was there, kissing her, touching her, _tasting _her.

"No," she whispered frantically, tearing her eyes away from his. The extreme effort of breaking her mind away from his left her weak. All the strength fled from her body. If not for the count's nearness, she would have collapsed completely. Holding her carefully, he dropped her again into a low dip.

"Imagine it Anna. You face death tonight, but I could give you a life unending. Imaging what a beautiful couple we would make."

His dark laughter provoked her anger. She turned her head, following his gaze. Across from them stood an enormous gilt mirror reaching from floor to ceiling. In it, Anna could see herself reclining in the count's invisible arms - _he himself cast no reflection. _the sight startled her so badly, she sucked in breath to scream. Dracula jerked her back up before the sound could escape her throat. His arms imprisoned her against him, her hands pressed against his chest.

A look of horror crossed her face. "You have no heartbeat," she whispered, gazing into his strange eyes. That was her doom. As soon as their eyes locked, her recaptured her in his gaze. The cloud returned in Anna's mind, covering her memory, stealing away her very will to resist.

Lovingly, Dracula leaned her back in his arms. Anna's head fell backwards exposing the pale flesh of her neck. Cradling her carefully in his arms, he caressed her stomach, letting his hand travel slowly upwards, exploring the warm skin of her body. He moved slowly, taking his time. Enjoying the softness of her skin, the curve of her chest, the sensitive valley between her breasts. Gabriel would come, he believed that firmly. But for now, he would have this bit of entertainment.

"Perhaps," his silken voice whispered, "it is only because it needs rekindled." Dracula's lips pulled back revealing razor sharp teeth. "One moment of pain, followed by an eternity of pleasure." Anna reached out, wrapping her arms around his neck. Closing her eyes, she guided him down to her exposed neck.

Suddenly, someone bumped into the vampire from behind, setting his back aflame. He roared in fu ry releasing his grip on both Anna's body and mind. She fell to her knees then quickly stood to back up.

"Anna," her name was shouted from above. Before she could even fully jerk her head around, all the air was knocked out of her lungs. Gabrial snagged her, swooping her up into the air in a very heroic, if a bit predictable, escape. Flying through the air with the greatest of ease, the daring young man on the flying trapeze managed to swing safely onto the balcony overlooking the ballroom without dropping either himself or his lovely rescuee.

Anna blinked her eyes, still trying to clear away the miasma from her mind. Taking matters into his own hands, Gabriel grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a good shake or two for good measure.

"Snap out of it, Anna. We've got to find out way out of here before old extra crispy heals himself."

As if on cue, Dracula's voice drifted from below. "Gabriel... oh Gabriel..."

Van Helsing closed his eyes and sighed in a good natured I'm-the-handsome-hero-and-I'm-really-put-out kind of way. "Too late," he groaned in his gravelly voice.

"Gabriel..." the count summoned again.

Rolling her eyes, Anna shoved Van Helsing from behind, nudging him towards the balcony edge. Looking down, even she had to admit the vampire was looking rather splendid at the moment, considering her was a human torch only moments ago. Everything about his attire was immaculate down to the shine on his Hessian boots.

From the crowd, a child shouted...

__

Note #1

On Little Children and their Necessity in All Cool Vampire Stories

It's been documented that all cool vampires have at least one little kid underling to do their bidding. Lestat made Claudia, Armand had that little kid who drove his carriage, the cool guy in Lost Boys had Danny - that weird little kid who never said much, Blackula had.... Well anyways, you get the point, right?

"Master, master," the child shouted. "They've found him. They've brought the monster."

Everyone in the room turned to see Frankenstein's monster wheeled into the ballrom tied to a giant vegetable cart.

"Argh! Grr! Revenge! The 23rd Psalm and stuff! Grr!" muttered the monster half heartedly. His weird little head sparked little green bolts of energy. "Get behind my Satan! Double double boil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble. Grrrr."

"Can't someone shut him up?" Dracula hissed. At his command, an army of evil oompa loompas threw themselves bodily on Frankie's head, effectively silencing his ranting.

"Mmmpf... mmpff... argh!!"

The vampire sighed, pulling a lock of his raven hair back behind his ear. "Where was I? Oh yes, I remember - your death. I never got the chance to offer you a proper welcome, Gabriel. You see, this is my summer palace."

From his elevated position, Gabriel looked down upon the crowd, one eyebrow raised. He threw his head back, striking a pose. "Nice place. Did you get a nice deal, I hope?"

"_What?!" _Dracula frowned in disgust. "No, you moron. This is my _castle_." He gestured with one hand. "And these are my _servants_."

Van Helsing nodded, deep in thought. "I see. You're trying to tell me something here, aren't you. Yes, I see it now - I've been terribly rude, haven't I?" He waved down to the crowd, smiling. "Hello everyone. Sorry we crashed the party, but I had to save the little lady here." He turned around trying to locate Anna. For some bizarre reason, she was backing away from the edge, a look of terror on her face. "Oh come on now, my dear. We shouldn't be rude. Come say hello to the count's guests."

"Dear God," Dracula muttered. "He's too dumb to allow to live. What if he muddies the gene pool?" He gestured with one elegant hand. "Kill him."

Finally cleared for service, the masked guests tore away their disguises revealing their true vampiric forms. Gabriel slowly turned around, his mouth slowly forming a shocked O. He turned, grabbing Anna's arm. She was struggling to remove a decorate mace from the wall.

"Come on, Anna. You can't kill a vampire with that," he cried. "We've gotta get out of here."

"It's not for the vampires, you idiot. It's to smack some sense into you."

They raced down the hallway, searching for an exit. Apparently, Gabriel was so concerned about _finding_ Anna, the thought of successfully _escaping _with her had never occurred to him. At some point in their frantic search, Carl - the happy friar - joined up with them.

"Guys, guys!" he panted, trying to keep up. "I just figured out how to use this little weapon I made for no apparent reason other than the fact that it might eventual become useful. Want to see?"

"No time," Gabriel growled gruffly. "We must jump out of his impossibly tall window into the raging sea bellow. Come Anna." He tried to yank her towards the window, but she resisted. The large man's momentum was too great to stop. Anna had to shield her eyes from shattering glass as Gabriel crashed through.

From behind her, Carl fiddled with his device, setting of a beam of light equal to the strength of the sun, effectively killing all the unnecessary vampires in the castle (save two). "Master," he cried as he headed towards the now open window. "Wait for meeeeeeeeeeeeee."

Anna ran to the window, watching the sea swallow them up in a resounding crash several hundred feet below.

"A very brave thing they did, but they are nevertheless too late. Even if they survive the fall, Gabriel will never reach my ship in time to stop it from setting sail."

Anna didn't have to turn around to know who stood behind her. Dracula's dark voice whispered from behind, his presence turning her heart to lead. She slowly moved to stand before her ancient enemy, face to face. Her family hunted Dracula for hundreds of years, yet never before had Anna truly seen his face. He stood before her now, his dark cloak pulled back revealing the black suit underneath. He radiated power, dominance, strength. It shocked her to realize how magnificent he was.

It angered her to admit she could ever think that.

He took a step towards her, holding out his hand. "Come with me child," he whispered, his seductive voice beckoning her forward. "I have no wish to see you foolishly throw yourself upon the rocks below."

She backed away from him, edging closer to the broken window. His mind attacked her, desperately trying to summon her away from danger, but she resisted.

"You've a strong will, Anna. I would hate to break it." He inched closer to her. Again she stepped away. The window was directly behind her now. One false step...

"I would rather..."

"...die. Yes, I know. People always seem to say that around me."

A garbled scream that sounded suspiciously like Gabriel echoed from the ocean below. Anna turned too quickly, losing her balance. She didn't even have time to draw in a breath before toppling out of the window. Air rushed all around her, screaming in her ears. Just when she feared her body would crash into the ocean, arms encircled her body. All at once, she was no longer falling. Wind still rushed by her face, but it was gentle now.

Her eyes were still squeezed tight, in her fear she was too terrified to open them. She forced them open now, only to stare right into Dracula's eyes. The vampire held her gently cradled against him, his dark cloak swirling around their suspended bodies. Peeking past his shoulder, Anna was horrified to see the vast ocean several hundred feet below. She clutched him tightly, praying that he wouldn't take it into his mind to drop her.

"I won't let you fall, _kislány," _he whispered, as if reading her thoughts. Perhaps because of the stress of the situation, the guards on Anna's mind faultered. In her weakened state, it was easy for the vampire to lull her sleep. Cradling her sleeping form against him, Dracula flew through the night.

XX

A/N: Please, please, please review! Flames, while not encouraged, are allowed. As long as you can find a sense of humor, however, I hope that there will be none... flames that is....

: )


	2. Dining with the Devil

Let me begin by saying a big THANK YOU to all of you lovely reviewers out there. You make my job soo easy : ) Sorry if my portrayal of Van Helsing has hurt some sensibilities. I have to throw some humor in there, and trust me Hugh Jackman can take it.

Before we begin this next installment of my version on how the movie _should _have ended, I must beg a question of you. Shall we keep this rated PG-13, or would you Dracula lovers prefer we kick this up to an R? I'll let the reviewers decide...

XX

The sound of wailing disturbed a flock of seagulls fighting over the remains of some long dead fish. It was still several hours until dawn, but already the beach was alive with movement. Nearby, two forms - one hulking and large, the other short and stocky - walked along the sea line, heading resolutely towards the sleeping city. It was from the larger of these two forms that the sounds of sobbing came.

Carl was dismayed to find his master, Gabriel Van Helsing - monster slayer extraordinaire - sobbing like a giant man-baby. He patted Gabriel on the back, trying to console him.

"Don't cry, Master. It's not all that bad."

"Not all that bad?!" Gabriel honked his nose really hard on the trailing hem of Carl's robe. "I've just lost the monster and the girl in the space of an hour and you're telling me it's not all that bad?! I'd hate to see it get worse."

Carl grimaced, looking at his now snotty vestments. "At least we still have the horses. If we hurry we can probably beat the Count's boat back to Transylvania."

"Even if we left right now, it will still take us two days to reach Anna's castle. And, we still don't have a clue on where Dracula's castle is!" He sniffled, shaking his head sadly. "Oh what kind of here am I? Just think of poor Anna. All alone, left in the clutches of that insidious vampire. Forced to submit to his every whim. Helpless to fight back his evil desires. Even now, she's probably tied up on his bed wearing only black leather scanties and a ball gag."

He glanced over at Carl who had turned an odd shade of pink. "What the devil are you smiling at," Gabriel demanded.

Carl blushed furiously. "Sorry, sorry. I just love it when you talk like that."

Gabriel smacked the back of his head, his mouth forming into a disgusted frown. "Well stop that. We must think of Anna now. We have only so much time left before I fully turn into a werewolf, and that much chest hair is never attractive."

Suddenly fired up, ready to fight the good fight, Van Helsing raised himself to his full height, holding his head high. "Come Carl. We might not be able to save her purity, but we can at least look sexy while doing it. To the horses!"

XX

Anna slowly opened her eyes allowing herself time to come fully awake. Once, when she was young, she had snuck a bottle of wine from her father's prized cellar. She had felt much the same the next morning as she did now - groggy, slow, and a bit queasy. Trying to clear her mind, she blinked several times. Where was she? How had she come to this place? She remembered that she was falling from a great height. Someone caught her, carried her...

"Dracula," she whispered, eyes flying wide open. Everything came flying back to her now - the ballroom, Van Helsing's attempted rescue, her own fall out of the window. If that bastard vampire didn't stop clouding her mind, she would... She would what, her mind questioned bitterly. Her family had tried for years to kill Dracula. She herself had been closer to him than anyone ever before, and what good came of it? Nothing. How could she kill something immortal? The thought of Van Helsing brought an unexpected sense of sadness to her. She could only pray that he himself had survived the fall.

Anna carefully sat up, taking in her surroundings. She lay on top of a large bed, still neatly made underneath her. Someone had removed her scarlet ball gown, leaving her wearing only a thin cotton chemise. She supposed she was lucky to even be wearing that. Anna tried not to think about who was the one to do the undressing. She didn't really think she wanted to know the answer.

Laying at the foot of the bed was what looked like her normal clothes - tight black pants, a flowing gypsy shirt, her leather corset. Beside these were her boots. She scanned the odd room to make sure it was empty. Seeing no one, she jumped out of the bed, quickly changing clothes.

Once she was dressed, she quietly began searching the room. It was furnished with rich, antique furniture - a low sitting settee, a curved armoire, even a vanity, all the necessary components of a normal bedroom. But this bedroom was anything but normal. To begin with, it didn't have four nice, standard walls. Instead, it had one giant wall that curved half way around the room. The rest opened up into a wide ledge that appeared to lead only one direction - straight down. Steeling herself, Anna walked towards the ledge. Looking down, a dizzying sense of vertigo swept over her. She was at least fifty feet up in the air. The room itself seemed to be scooped out of the very wall. Below her, the rock wall was sheer without even the slightest suggestion of handholds. There was no way up, no way down. Unless the devil gave you wings, that is.

A terrible cry echoed through the cavern, resounding off the cavern walls. Anna swallowed hard, willing her heart to beat normally. She had never heard anything like that terrible cry in all her life. Still, she knew what made that sound. Dracula had awakened.

__

She would not let him see her fear. Swallowing back her surging emotions, Anna folded her arms, primly sitting down on the settee facing the open landing. She wasn't afraid of what the vampire might do to her - not precisely. What Anna feared more than anything was letting her family down. They had sacrificed too much for her to die like a fly in Dracula's web.

She waited, her body tense. Her ears strained to hear a distant noise. It was faint at first, but the sound of approaching footsteps was unmistakable. There was only one man would could walk up a sheer vertical wall. It came as no surprise when Dracula stepped onto the ledge, hands clasped behind his back. He looked resplendent as always, his dark cloak swirling around his shoulders. A small smile played at his sensuous mouth, his eyes focused in deep contemplation.

"There have been only two humans I have ever known who's heart did not race with my approach - Van Helsing and yourself. With Van Helsing, I attribute this primarily to stupidity." He approached her, hands still clasped behind his back. His intense gaze was difficult to bear, but Anna refused to look away. She rose from the settee to stand eye to eye. "What keeps your heart free from fear, _kislány?"_

"Even a wild animal has the sense to kill it's prey, _vampire_." She practically spit the word at him. "Did you bring me here to taunt me?"

He tilted his head back, laughing softly. The dark, rich timbre of his voice wove it's magic in her mind. Anna pushed it away, strengthening the protective walls in her mind. She turned her head away, refusing to look at him now, ignoring the way the faint candlelight brought out the tawny gold in his deep brown eyes.

"Taunt you? No, I think not my dear, but I see your legendary temper is not without some merit. You are perhaps somewhat cross because you have not yet eaten." He took another step closer, offering his hand. "Come. I've gathered for you something to eat. It's been over two hundred years since I've prepared my last meal. Hopefully I still remember what women find desirable."

She raised her lips in a disgusted sneer. "I'll eat nothing your hands have touched."

Faster than she would have ever thought possible, Dracula moved. Standing behind her now, his arms encircled her body, holding her against him. Anna stiffened in his arms. She tensed as he lowered his lips, grazing the tender skin.

"All creatures must feed, _kislány, _even the undead." His mouth opened slightly, pressed against her skin. She could feel the faintest pressure on her neck from his teeth. Anna held her breath, waiting for the pain that never came.

"Especially the undead," he whispered. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to lean against his solid form. It would be so easy to give in. Pushing those dangers thoughts forcefully out of her mind, she struggled to keep her defenses in place.

Holding her carefully against him, Dracula lifted them both off the ground. The vertigo she had experienced before was nothing compared to the dizziness she felt now. Carrying her pressed against him, he floated gently down tot he floor below. Once their feet touched the solid ground, he released her. Anna quickly turned to move away, her eyes instantly picking up on her surroundings. They were standing in a cavernous hallway. Rooms, staircases, corridors all branched off leading further into the gloomy castle. Glancing up, she could see the strange bedroom where he had kept her. Considering it's height, it would make a most effective prison.

"Come Anna," he murmured, moving down a hallway to the right. He did not wait for her to follow. For a moment, she considered bolting, but where would she run? Even if she did know the way out, Dracula would never let her escape.

"Damn it," she whispered vehemently. Left with no other viable option, she followed.

XX

The dining room was not aptly named. It should have been called a dining _hall_. An enormous wooden table that could easily seat as many as a hundred guests stretched from one end of the room to the other. Numerous candelabra were lit, the fire from their candles set the crystal goblets ablaze in a mesmerizing rainbow of light. Walking to the head of the table, Dracula pulled out one of the heavy wooden chairs directly to the right. With a grand gesture, he motioned for her to sit.

"I'm not hungry, she announced, then blushed furiously when her stomach suddenly decided to growl. The tempting aroma of baked bread must have been too hard to resist. Cursing her body's weakness, she sat down at the place he had prepared for her. A plate arranged with cold meats, warm breads, and to her surprise fresh fruits was set before her. A child of Romania, she had never before seen such opulent fair, Gypsy Princess or not.

The Count seated himself next to her at the head of the table. Lifting a silver decanter, her filled her crystal goblet with a wine darker than blood. "The berries," he murmured softly, "I brought from Spain. Once, they were my favorite. Now, I can barely remember their taste."

The implacations of his words was startling. _Spain_, she wondered. Surely he could not be so powerful to fly there so quickly.

"I decided to fetch them for you while you slept last night. Once I knew you were to be my guest here in my castle, I had to ensure you would have whatever your heart desired."

He must have been able to pick up on her thoughts despite her desperate attempt to guard her mind, she realized. Anna sat perfectly still, her eyes trained on the empty seat across from her own. Her stomach demanded that she eat, but she refused. Stubbornness was a family trait, after all.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked softly. "It's plain you do not intend to kill me - at least not yet. So I must ask you," she turned her head, looking intently into his eyes. "Why did you bring me here, knowing that I am your enemy?"

Dracula picked up the goblet of wine, holding it out to her. "Eat, and perhaps afterwards I will show you." A lock of his raven hair had fallen free. The darkness in his hair almost matched his eyes perfectly. Those were not human eyes that watched her every movement.

"My father always warned against making deals with the devil."

This brought a small smile to his pale face. "Very sound advice," he whispered. Candlelight made the shadows dance across his pale skin. His dark eyes shone brightly. Reaching out, Anna took the goblet from his hands. Bringing it to her lips, she sipped the wine. It was fragrant and richly flavored, but strong. Much stronger than any wine she had drank before. She would have to be cautious. The last thing she needed was to drink too much tonight. The protective barriers she held her in mind were weakened enough as it was. Again, she felt the gentle probing of Dracula's mind, testing for weaknesses. He was proving to be a powerful adversary indeed in so many unexpected ways.

She saw no choice now, but to play his game - for awhile at least. If the vampire had a plan for her, she preferred to find out rather than wait. Besides, if she didn't eat something, her stomach would growl again. Selecting a perfectly round strawberry from the plate, she bit into it experimentally. The ripe fruit was better than she had hoped. It was sweet and firm, if slightly sour. Her stomach did growl again, her appetite whetted by the tantalizing bite. Despite her strong resolve, an appreciative smile spread across her lips. Giving up on struggling to remain unhungry, she picked up a roll, still warm from the oven.

Dracula watched in rapt attention as she tore it apart, eating it in small, bite size pieces. Even her slightest movement was graceful. He followed the movement of her hand as she pushed her thick curls away from her face. Fascinated, he watched her swallow, the long muscles of her neck slowly moving. His eyes focused on the artery hidden there, barely concealed by her milky white skin. He could here the blood, coursing through her veins, pumping dark red blood. Dracula's brown eyes darkened to a startling shade of black. He could smell her scent - a mixture of fragrance and something sweet, indefinably feminine.

She selected another berry from the pile, this one small and dark blue. She examined it curiously, unaware of the intensity of his gaze.

"A blueberry," he whispered. Only his years of discipline kept the excited waver out of his voice. He musn't scare her, he decided. When he finally wrapped her into his dark embrace, she must want him to drink from her as badly as he desired to.

Anna opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of an unexpected shriek.

Dracula's eyes flew open. He stood to his feet, roaring at the interruption. It was _her,_ he silently fumed. How dare she disobey his orders. He slammed his fist into the table, rattling the long row of candelabrae.

Anna did not cringe at this sudden burst of temper. She merely continued to calmly study the small berry. "I'm sorry, was this one yours?" she murmured, knowing full well it wasn't the berry the vampire was furious about.

His eyes flew to her, brow creased in fury. "Forgive my rudeness, but there is something that needs my immediate attention. Stay inside this room, and do not leave."

Anna blinked her eyes and he was gone, moving faster than her eyes could track. All at once, the many doors leading into and out of the dining room slammed closed as one. Sighing, she popped the blueberry into her mouth. At least that was sweet....

XX

A/N:

Yes, I know this chapter was short, but hopefully it was somewhat sweet. Please, please review and respond!

Oh, and I promise that Van Helsing won't be a dork forever... Well, at least I'll TRY and promise that.

He was hot too, I must admit, but Dracula drools

Hoobooy.

And OH MY GOD, has anyone seen Troy?

Holy Moly.

Anyways, tell your ole pal Jessie whether or not you want this baby to become R. Consensus rules ; )


	3. Aleria

Aleria soared into the grand hallway of Dracula's castle, laughing her high pitched cackle, announcing her presence to the surrounding area. Stepping lightly onto the stone entryway, the flowing fabric of her skimpy attire dragged on the floor. Like the other vampires, she could have chosen any appearance she wanted. Any clothing she desired. True to form, she always managed to look like a two bit floozy from some deranged maharajah's harem.

Glancing around the empty hall and seeing none, Aleria moved further inside. She had returned to the castle impulsively. Her presence would be unexpected, yes, but that did not explain the sudden uneasiness she felt.

A soft whisper of wine flowing past her cheek was the only indication she received that her Master had come. He had moved to quickly for even her eyes to see. She turned to face him, extending her arms in supplication.

"Vlad, my love," she simpered. Aleria started to run to him. Something in his face held her back. Unveiled fury had turned his mahogany eyes from brown to almost pure black. He clasped his hands behind his back, walking slowly and deliberately towards her. Despite his constant reassurances to never fear him, Aleria couldn't help be begin to tremble. She had never seen him so furious in all of her life.

"I'm assuming by your appearance, Aleria, that my boat has safely arrived in harbor? I pray for your sake this is so however much I doubt its veracity. The last time I spoke with the boat master, he assured me it would take at least two days time to sail here safely. Please tell me that he was mistaken. Tell me you did not abandon the ship despite my orders" His eyes bore into her own, threatening to scorch her with the fire that burned within him. His fury was palpable.

Aleria bit her lip nervously. Not only was she not the brightest of his wives, bravery was never her strong point either. It finally dawned on her that her unexpected arrival might not be welcome.

"Master, I..."

"Shh..." he raised a finger to her lips, silencing her excuses. His voice dropped lower, caressing her ears like a lover's touch. But the fury never left his dark eyes. "I can see your thoughts before me like a picture. My ship is far from safety, is it not? It's far from my shore."

"Please, let me explain."

He cupped her chin with his hand. "Explain? Did I not order you to stay with the ship? To guard it with your very life? Did I somehow not make myself clear when I described the importance of the cargo?" His voice was rising now, building with intensity. His fingers dug into her tender flesh, squeezing her chin painfully. Aleria cried out in shocked pain. Tears welled up behind her pretty eyes. He had never treated her so roughly before. So hatefully. Fear seized her. Perhaps he had grown weary of her as his wife.

Vlad ignored the wounded accusations in her eyes. He was much to infuriated to care at the moment. Giving her chin a good shake, he released it. He had been much to easy of a master with her in the past. Whatever her shortcomings where, the fault was in part his own. He had never cared for the simpering Aleria like his other brides. While pretty and fetching, she had attracted his eye one cursed night. He was of a much too impulsive nature to consider the responsibility of undertaking such self serving baggage as this.

Regardless of his current lack of interest with Aleria, she had her uses and right now he needed her on that ship.

Closing his eyes, he swallowed back his anger. When they reopened, his eyes returned to a less threatening shade. Opening his arms wide, he beckoned her to his chest. Aleria was only too happy to wrap herself in the circle of his arms. She rested her head on his chest, quietly whimpering. When Dracula spoke, his voice was calm, comforting, but he couldn't keep the irritation from popping back into his face.

"There, there, my sweet little dove. I'm not angry, only disappointed. I trusted you to remain with the ship. It distressed me to see that you disobeyed."

She sniffled. "Igor was cruel to me again. He's always threatening me, trying to poke me with that damned electric cow prod of his. Why did you give him that, Master? What possible purpose could it serve?"

It took all the force of his will to keep from losing the precarious hold on his temper. The tiny muscles of his jaw twitched slightly, the only indication of his growing impatience. Only by sheer force of will did he keep his tone under control. "I will speak to him as soon as the ship returns. For now, I command you to go back and guard the ship. My original order still stands. Now be a good child and do as I ask." His voice remained gentle, yet it gave no room for argument.

Unfortunately for Aleria, his momentary kindness gave her the impression that all was well. She pouted petulantly. Crossing her arms, she opened her mouth to speak but stopped short. The smell of fresh blood was so faint it had almost escaped her notice. If it wasn't for her own hunger, she might have missed it entirely. Yet no matter how faint the smell was, she knew that scent and she had a pretty good idea of who it belonged to. Backing away, she raised one accusing finger.

"I see now why you wish to keep me away from here."

Vlad's face retained it's placid mask even as his eyes slowly shifted from brown to black. Aleria never noticed. She was far to caught up in her own concerns at the moment.

"You've brought your precious princes here," she accused. "With all of your wives gone now but me, you wish to make another." She stomped her foot on the flagstones. "I won't have it, I tell you. I won't have it."

Faster than a blinking eye, Dracula's cold fingers encircled her neck, lifting her off the ground. The controlled anger she encountered earlier was nothing compared to the pure, unadulterated fury she saw now. His lips pulled back into a horrifying grimace, revealing razor sharp teeth. Aleria would have screamed in terror if not for the iron fingers squeezing her neck.

"I've had _enough _of your insolence. You will obey me or I shall end your miserable existence here and now." He threw her backwards, slamming her into the wall. Whimpering, Aleria picked herself up off the floor, her eyes wide with fear if not hurt.

"I hear and obey," she whispered, crawling towards the exit. Once she put some distance between herself and her silently smoldering master, she stood. Taking to the air, she flew as fast as she could to the ocean.

For several long moments, he stood there watching her slowly disappearing form, struggling to regain control of his wildly raging temper. He had not intentions of displaying the more baser of emotions before his new companion, no matter how far his minions stretched his temper. When he felt he had regained his composure, Vlad returned to the dining room.

What he saw when he got there made him howl in fury.

A window set against the far wall was left wide open. Anna was nowhere to be found.

XX

As soon as Dracula left the dining room, all of the doors slammed shut behind him. Anna didn't waste any time. Leaping up, she ran to each door, hoping against hope that one would be left unbarred. It wasn't just that the doors themselves were locked. Some unseen force kept them firmly closed against her, effectively sealing her inside. A simple lock pick she could handle. Magic doors were another matter.

Frustrated, her eyes scanned the room searching for some way to escape. Set against the far wall was a row of curtained windows. Hope leaped in her chest. Wasting no time, she ran to them. The first two where firmly locked shut, but the third swung easily open. It was snowing furiously outside. Already, she could feel a chill set into her bones. It would be all to easy to freeze out there. Shaking her head, she decided. It would be better to freeze out there on her own terms than to die by Dracula's hands.There were worse things than dying, too…This thought catalyzed her into action. Sticking her head out the window, she sucked in her breath. The castle was set on a large mountainous outcropping that overlooked a deep chasm. Only a narrow stone bridge connected the castle to the forest beyond. She would have to make it to the bridge to make her escape. Right outside the window was a narrow ledge that followed the castle wall around to the bridge. If she was careful, it was possible to reach it but it would mean a dangerous walk around the ledge hugging the castle wall. Any mistake would send her hurtling into the chasm below. Freezing wouldn't be her only concern it would seem. Taking a deep breath, she carefully crawled outside.Dizziness and vertigo immediately washed over her almost obliterating her will to escape. Closing her eyes, she waited for the feeling to disappear. She was a child of gypsies, trained in acrobatics. Heights had never bothered her before, but then again this _was_ her first experience with frantic escapes over bottomless abysses.Pushing away her fear, Anna inched her way across the ledge. After what felt like an eternity, she reached a corner. Once this task was carefully negotiated, she noticed a set of tall windows up ahead. The sound of raised voices filtered through, barely audible from outside. She knew it would be dangerous to stay here for many reasons, the risk of being caught only one. Curiosity got the better of her. Feeling almost guilty, she peered inside. Dracula stood with his back to her, speaking too softly for her to hear. Just beyond his shoulder, she could make out his vampire bride, Aleria. No real surprise there. Anna knew that shriek quite well.Suddenly, Aleria backed away from the count, her face angry, hurt. Whatever she said must have infuriated Dracula. He grabbed her by the neck, slamming her into the wall. Anna's lip curled in derision. She herself had no love for the simpering vampiress, but she was still a woman. Not only was he a murderer, he was also a brute.

She had seen enough. The chill wind was biting through her thin clothing. It was much to cold to remain exposed any longer than necessary. Continuing on, she crawled her way slowly along the wall. When Aleria flew past her, she shrinked back against the wall, her heart pounding in her chest. Anna could only hope the vampire didn't see her. From what she could see, Aleria was flying away as quickly as she could.

"It would be nice to have wings, but I'm not willing to kiss the devil to gain 'em" she muttered before moving on. She had almost reached the bridge when a horrible scream echoed through the castle, startling her terribly. Dracula must have discovered her missing. Feeling desperate, she hurried towards the bridge, trying with all her might to reach safety before he could find her. Just when she almost made it, her foot slipped on a patch of ice. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as she felt herself falling. Using all of her training, she threw her arms out, catching hold of the ledge at the last minute. Anna had to bite her lip hard to keep from crying out in a mix of fear and anger. She had almost made it, damn it.

Her legs dangled precariously over nothing but endless space. The idea was terrifying. Forcing herself to remain calm, she tried to pull herself back up onto the ledge. It was useless. Her arms were just too weak. The ledge was too narrow to maneuver.

Wind screamed past her, freezing her fingers as they gripped the cold stone. "Damn it," she growled again. It disgusted her to think of dying in such a ignoble fashion. Her numb fingers were slipping. Despite her years of training. Despite her strength, her determination. Despite it all, Anna was going to die. She simply couldn't hold on any longer.

"Amusing yourself _kislány_?" Dracula's voice drifted to her from above. Anna jerked her head up to see him standing horizontally on the wall, arms crossed and managing to look idly bored. He held out one long fingered hand. "Take it Anna. I would not want you to fall."

Frankly, Anna didn't know if it was relief she felt or irritation. What she did know was that she had no intention of dying this way. Using the last of her strength, she grabbed his hand. Relief flooded through her when she felt his strong hands encircling her own. In one smooth motion, he brought her up into the safety of his arms, at the same time taking flight.

"Where did you think you were going, Anna?" His voice resonated above the wind. Snow came at them from all sides. Feeling her shivering, he wrapped his cloak around her slender body, shielding her from the wind.

"Just out for a bit of air," she said without a hint of sarcasm. Looking beyond his shoulder, she could see the castle growing far away. "Where are you taking me?"

"There is something you need to see," he answered cryptically. He shifted her slightly in his arms so that he could point with one hand. "Look Anna. See for yourself, my prison."

Reluctantly, Anna turned her head to follow his gaze. She blinked her eyes several times, fearing that her eyes were deceiving her. Beyond the castle gate was a vast forest barely visible behind what appeared to be a giant wall of ice. The ice encircled everything, blocking access to the forest beyond.

"There is no way to escape me, _kislány_. My kingdom is bound in ice, locked away from the world. Only I know the secret exits. To leave the safety of my castle would mean only death for you, Anna. You must trust me in this."

"I trust you in nothing," she spat back, feeling trapped and defeated. Her eyes searched the desolate landscape. Dracula was right. Unless she could discover the secret, that wall of ice would hold her imprisoned.

"Then you are a fool," he said bitterly. "Your family has hated my existence for so long it has clouded your mind from reason. Know this, _kislány_. If you leave the safety of my castle again, I might not be able to save you."

Anna glanced up, meeting his gaze. He was watching her now, staring at her with his dark eyes. Her heart leaped in her chest. He was serious about this, she knew, but that wasn't what made her heart beat so strangely. His arms tightened imperceptibly, gripping her possessively. She was safe with him, as strange as that might sound.

Vlad could feel her trembling in his arms, mostly from the cold. It was too much to hope that she would tremble for him. He himself felt neither ice nor fire, but she did. To keep her exposed for much longer would be dangerous. He had made his point, he could sense that.

Turning, he flew back to the castle, using his own body to shield her from the wind. By the time he reached it, Anna was shivering violently, her teeth chattering in her head. A moment's regret coursed through his mind. He had no warmth to give her, something even the basest human could provide. At least he could give her fire.

Stepping lightly onto the stone balcony, he opened up the delicate glass doorway ushering Anna inside. To cold to fight, she moved as fast as her body would let her, shaking uncontrollably. The doors opened into a dark room shrouded in shadow. Set against the far wall was exactly what she needed - a roaring fireplace, the only source of light in the room. Anna hurried towards it, holding her numb fingers out to the warmth. Moving silently from behind, Vlad wrapped a heavy blanket over her shoulders and began to rub the skin of her upper arms desperate to bring some warmth to her half frozen body.

Feeling his touch, she immediately stiffened. She turned to face him, her eyes glaring in outrage. "Thank you fro the blanket. I'm certain I can warm myself now."

His lips curled in a mixture of quick anger and derision. He should have known better than to touch her uninvited no matter how noble his intentions were. Apparently it was just about time he changed the nature of his invitation. For now, he moved a step away watching her in the dim firelight.

Anna's eyes flitted nervously about the room, growing accustomed to the darkness. She could make out a writing desk, a tall wardrobe, leather furniture - all things designed to suit male tastes. And still further away, raised up on dais stood an enormous four poster bed surrounded by a curtain.

__

He had brought her to his room...

Fury blazed in her eyes. Spinning around, she threw the blanket to the floor.

Vlad must have sensed her sudden understanding. His hands flew up in innocence. "Patience _kislány. _I did not mean to take advantage of you by bringing you to this room. I know how cold you are, Anna. Without the warmth of a fire you could easily fall ill. But because I myself feel neither heat nor cold, this is the only room in my castle where the flames always stay lit." His voice was low and soothing, almost hypnotic in nature like liquid silk. There was a soothing quality to his voice that made her relax despite her efforts to stay angry.

Anna could see the logic after all. Perhaps she was being unreasonable. She turned her head slightly, watching the vampire out of the corner of her eye. She was surprised to see that he was no longer standing by her side but had moved to a nearby table. He poured something from a crystal decanter into a small glass.

"Drink this," he murmured, handing her the glass. "It will help warm you from the inside out."

Anna slipped the whisky slowly, watching him warily from the rim of her glass. He was right about the warming. After only a few tentative sips, a fire was building in her belly.

Vlad smiled in satisfaction. She was such an engima. Delicate beauty, fierce courage, undying hatred... So very different from the brides he had chosen. This was a woman of passion, not a simpering chit. This was someone with whom the endless ages might become more bearable. This was also a woman who had made it her life's work to see him dead.

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

Anna's voice brought him out of his reverie. Vlad looked up, meeting her gaze.

"_Kislány," _she prompted. "You keep calling me that."

H lowered his head, a small smile touching his lips. Anna tried not to notice how the firelight set the gold flecks in his eyes ablaze. They had turned a rich, deep shade of mahogany - like polished wood. Standing the way he was now, a secret smile playing at his lips, he was irresistibly handsome.

Anna gave herself a good mental slap. How could she even _think_ something like that?

"It comes from the old tongue, my dear. I suppose the closest translation would be _little warrior._"

"So you _are_ making fun," she hissed.

His eyes flew to hers in confusion, reading the defensiveness in her eyes. Vlad took a step towards her then another. "It is no jest, Anna. I have always respected my adversaries. Never in my life have I seen one braver."

He was standing so close to her now. Nervous fear raced through her, threatening to overtake her will. She was gripping the glass too tightly. If she wasn't careful it would break in her hand. Forcing herself to remain calm, she finished the whisky, holding the now empty glass out to the vampire. Wordlessly he took it from, his fingers grazing past her own as he did.

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.......I hate to leave it here, but I'm going to.....

More to come, I swear : )


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